The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-19
the engineer, and, seeing an ugly CLEAN ia his
eye Immediately wrote the desired retractio1.
cody pocketing which the engineer withdrew
THE PoCAssET FANATIC.
A Talk with the Man Who Murdered Hi1
Child in a Fla of Religious Insanity.

A Talk with the Man Who Murdered Hfa
Child in Fla of Religious Insanity.
Boston Special
Samuel F. Freeman, the Pocasset religious
fanatic, who sacrificed his fve-year-old girl ia
1879, in obedience to a supposed order from God.
and who was sentenced to the Insane Asylum
for life, was released to-day By order of the
Governor and Council.
Gated to him he manifested much emotion. II
was hard to believe that the pleasant-faced,
nkspoken man that stepped forward was ever
insane or had ever committed a crime. Neatly
dressed in a cutaway suit, and with hair and
whiskers carefully trimmed and brushed, he
would pass for solid-looking business man in
any community in which he might be set down.
He is forty one years old. but his face does not
show it. and mis- hair is only slightly streaked
with gray when it is brushed back above the
ears For man who has been in an insane
asylum for years, when he and all around him
knew him to be sane. he certainly bears himself
well, and in his talk was cheerful, hopeful and
confident that he should be able TO begin life
again successfully.
II have for ned no plans for the future" ne
said, in response to an inoulry. except to look
for employment in some business and begin life
over"
Il am not like man just let out Of an asyluna.
thrust out, as it we're, for have been on parole
here for five years, have gone ont daily in thu
village in charge of an attendant-as a matter
Of formality only-have read the daily papers.
and in short, have kept abreast of the news of
the day. / have never lost my interest in out
side affairs. and, in fact have managed my own
business affairs. have seen my family, and have
been, as before, the head of it.
Friends? Yes, / have made more fir, a Is
since my stay here, and better ones I as,
than those made before At any rate. hy
have proved themselves by their kindness shown
me and by their efforts to get freedom for
sane man, imprisoned under mere legal forms
But have complaints to make against any
ono, no hard feelings or anything to avenge-
4 ,xrh hoU az nd coa m
reason why may not start afresh, leaving the
past behind"
Mr. Freeman did not care to talk much Of the
past, and the memories called up by an allusion
| to it were evidently painful to him.
st has seemed a long time to pass through
| these last eight years. yet it does not seem
long to look beck upon them At times have
| been Respondent yet have tried my best to
| turn my thoughts forward rather than back, so
| that have not brooded over past events, and
| they are fading from my mind. / know thai
| where men have recovered their reason as have
| the danger of relapse has come from return to
| their old associations. / shall, therefore, avoid
| all possible danger, though l do not believe /
| stand in any, and shall seek new faces and new
| associations from those left
"My religious belief now4 That cannot tell
YOU as briefly as you would wish. cannot speak
of it."
sit is certainly not the old belief is it?'
| "Most certainly not" was the smiling reply.
| but that is one of the things I cannot talk
about"
Mr. Freeman in the conversation which fol-
lowed, told Of his commitment to the asylum and
| his subsequent trial on the Indictment hanging
/ over him at that time.
| said to-day the farce of trial. was sane; the
| prosecuting officers knew it; the judge XIV it,
| and the jury knew it, all by the testimony Of the
| best medical experts on mental diseases. Yet
| to find me innocent of my insane acr, though
fully convinced OF my sanity, as l appeared
before them, they were obliged to add to the YER
dict of mot guilty the words by reason of IN
sanity Then the law left the judge no option
but TO- sentence me to an asylum Tor LIE, with
would have been glad to give me had he not
feared to establish a precedent, and he on
deavored to have the law changed in my behalf.
Governor Ames and his council have granted
my discharge and alone can know how CRATE
ful am. cannot express but part Of what
feel"
Speaking Of his present condition. Mr.. Free
man said:
"As you see, am in perfect physical health.
and feel sure-and the doctors 40. also that
my mental health is equally good. There is no
doubt that the former aids the latter, and that
this rest and recupera'ion has been just what what
only to ask any one here on the hill what my
temper, what my conduct has been, to know that
I am 4 safe person to be at large. have sub
| mittei cheerfuly to all the asylum rules and
never, believe. have l been reprimanded by
physician or attendant"
The hearing of yesterday was then described
and. as the interview was brought to close he
said
whatever you publish of this rambling tall
we have had l wish you would publish ons
thing, and that is that my most heartfelt thanks
are given to all who have had me in charge
here, and that never have received other thar
the kindest treatment and warmest sympathy
| from them"
The physicians at the asylum bore willing tes
timony to the truth Of Mr. Freeman's state
ments, and said that while they felt sorry t.
lose his assistance, they could not but be glad a
his release. He has been for some years il
charge of some of the more intelligent patients
and has been of great use in that and other di
rectons. He will join his family. who are no
far away.
TELEPHONING EXTRAORDINARY.